A business expo provides an excellent networking opportunity, along with opportunities for learning. You'll meet new clients, as well as fellow businesspeople with whom you could form strategic alliances. You may even find a mentor, or non-competing business owners you can learn from. However, business expos quickly grow overwhelming if you don't prepare a list of objectives. You can't do everything or meet everyone, so focus on what's most central to you and your business.

Talk to People You Don't Know

You might feel drawn to talk to people you've met before and reconnecting with them may prove beneficial if you haven't spoken in some time. However, focus on talking to people you've never met. Read the program beforehand to determine where you might find these people, so you walk in with a plan.

Keep Memory Aids

When you sort through the pile of business cards you've collected after the show, you won't clearly remember many of the people you met. To jog your memory, jot down notes about each person on the card when you receive it. Note whether the person is a strong business prospect. Writing a note on the card also shows you're truly interested, flattering the person who gave it to you.

Attend Workshops and Seminars

If you're not tied to a booth all day, or have knowledgeable staff to stay with the booth, attend the workshops and seminars that are most relevant to you. Also attend the ones your potential clients may attend. By attending a workshop you're already an expert in, you can show your expertise. Ask questions and offer insights, noting your experience in brief so you don't sound like you're bragging. As the expo ends, mingle with people exiting the doors or are waiting to talk to the presenters. Talk with the presenters if you feel the relationship would benefit you. Better yet, ask the conference organizer if you can participate on a panel during the next expo.

Create an Unusual Display

If you have a booth, distinguish it from the crowd with a bold, eye-catching element such as balloons, a floral display or a giant info-graphic. Create a cohesive look by using a color scheme focusing on one or two colors throughout your display. Display literature such as brochures and catalogs prominently. Invite people in to the booth to talk, to minimize distractions.

Offer Giveaways

If you're hosting a booth at the expo, offer product giveaways to get people talking about your company. An inexpensive yet eye-catching promotional product such as a canvas bag serves this purpose well. Products that people will actually use work best. Alternatively, hold a raffle, giving away a prize that appeals to a broad audience, suggests the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners. Movie tickets, a gift certificate for dinner or free merchandise from your company are good examples.

Schedule Follow-Up Dates

When you meet people you wish to talk with further, plan to have lunch or coffee. Set a date, if you can do so without being too pushy. Otherwise, plan to discuss when to meet via phone or email. Eighty percent of business expo participants don't follow up with their connections, which works in your favor -- if other businesses don't call your prospective clients, then they're free to have lunch with you.

About the Author

Melanie J. Martin specializes in environmental issues and sustainable living. Her work has appeared in venues such as the Environmental News Network, "Ocean" magazine and "GREEN Retailer." Martin holds a Master of Arts in English.